


Baby Steps

by nothingeverlost



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-08
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-01-25 09:29:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 15,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21354034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nothingeverlost/pseuds/nothingeverlost
Summary: When her foster mother had died she had been shocked to inherit both the diner and the bed and breakfast, but that wasn’t anything compared to finding herself the guardian for Granny’s ten-month-old granddaughter.
Relationships: Baelfire | Neal Cassidy & Belle, Baelfire | Neal Cassidy & Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, Baelfire | Neal Cassidy/Emma Swan, Belle & Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold
Comments: 58
Kudos: 102





	1. First Steps

**Author's Note:**

> A non-magic AU with Belle raising Ruby (and needing Gold's help)

The baby wouldn’t stop crying. Belle paced. She jiggled. She tried the frozen teether, burping, pacifier, and every toy she had but nothing worked.

“It’s okay, Ruby. I promise we’ll figure this out.” She needed to get down to the diner to check on things, but she couldn’t until she got Ruby to stop crying. Once again she wondered how she could possibly make everything work. When her foster mother had died she had been shocked to inherit both the diner and the bed and breakfast, but that wasn’t anything compared to finding herself the guardian for Granny’s ten-month-old granddaughter.

When a knock sounded on the door Ruby stopped wailing for a moment, but only a moment. Belle opened the door to find the bed and breakfast’s only long term tenant, Mr. Gold, standing in the doorway. “You do realize that it’s eight in the morning, don’t you Ms. French?”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Gold. She just woke up a little while ago.” At least she’d been able to get a shower in while Ruby was still sleeping. Belle would have hated to answer the door in her pajamas, especially since the pair from last night had a spit up stain on the shoulder.

“I assume that shade of red isn’t how she normally looks.” Belle didn’t have a moment to formulate an answer before he took the crying child from her. She was about to protest when the noise stopped. Ruby was curled against his chest, held by the hand that wasn’t using a cane for support.

“I… she… how did you do that?” Belle stared.

“Babies, much like dogs, can sense when someone is afraid of them. Make up your mind that she won’t cry for you and she won’t.” Belle had only had a handful of conversations with the man that lived at the end of the hall. She had informed him of her ownership, and that she didn’t intend to change anything. Had delivered mail to him once, mostly junk fliers and typed documents, and had attempted polite greetings that generally went ignored. While his words didn’t surprise her, the soft tone of voice and the slight swaying motion did.

“Mr. Gold, can I ask you a huge favor? I just need to run down to the diner to make sure everything’s running smoothly. I’ll be back in five minutes.”

“And you expect me to hold the child for that time?” He was frowning at her, but Belle noticed his arm tightening imperceptively around the baby.

“I could bring you back breakfast, anything you like. Please, Mr. Gold?” As much as she needed to check on the staff in the diner she also needed just a minute to herself. She felt like she was failing Granny, and Ruby, and didn’t know what to do.

“Five minutes, and not a minute more. I don’t need breakfast, I have tea in my room.”

“You’re a lifesaver.” She couldn’t hug him, not with the baby, but that didn’t stop her from leaning in and kissing her cheek before she ran out of the room.

“Those shoes are ridiculous,” she heard him mutter as she headed for the stairs.

She brought him a donut, because everyone liked donuts and tea was not breakfast. The next day it was a muffin; they were testing out a pumpkin chocolate chip recipe and he’d held Ruby for almost fifteen minutes that morning when there was a tiny issue with a pan catching on fire.

“What do you want, Ms. French,” he asked the third day when Ruby once again woke up crying and wouldn’t stop. Belle would have taken her to the doctor already except that it only seemed to happen when Belle held her.

“Do you have an hour?” She wanted Granny back. She wanted Ruby to be happy and safe and to have someone taking care of her that actually know what they were doing. She wanted more than three hours of sleep.

“Hopper is down the street if you need a shrink. What do you want in this moment.” He leaned on his cane with both hands, making it clear that this time he wasn’t taking the baby from her.

“I don’t think crying so much is good for her. I want her to be okay.”

“Close your eyes,” he ordered.

“Excuse me?” She was confused.

“Your eyes, Ms. French. it’s not a difficult thing to understand. Close your eyes. Relax your shoulders. You can hold the child securely without tensing every muscle. Take a breath and let it out. Do it again. Her crying makes you tense and your tension makes her cry. It’s a vicious circle.” his words washed over her; Belle thought it was his voice more than what he was saying that made her muscles relax. By her third breath Ruby had grown silent. When she opened her eyes the baby was playing with a piece of her hair.

“That was like magic,” she said in awe.

“Hardly. That was necessary so I can go back to having a decent amount of sleep.”

She didn’t see him again in the mornings since she’d learned how to quiet the worst of Ruby’s crying jags. However, somehow it seemed that every time the bell rung denoting a guest’s arrival he was just coming out of his room.

“Five minutes, Ms. French. I’ll see to the child.” And she would run down the stairs; signing people in was so much easier when she didn’t have a baby in one arm.

She took Ruby for a walk in her stroller every afternoon after the lunch rush. Sometimes Gold was taking a walk at the same time, and they would fall in step together.

He ate in the diner most days, early to avoid the crowds (and perhaps because of his tendency to skip breakfast.) Belle worked in the diner most lunches, and had fitted a port-a-crib into one corner of the room for Ruby’s naps. Every time a glass broke or a customer was particularly loud, however, the child woke up.

“This is ridiculous.” Gold shoved his food away and walked over to the crib where Ruby hadn’t gotten more than a twenty-minute nap before a post hockey practice crowd walked in, all talking at the same time of their ‘victory.’ “Ms. French, I will take my lunch in my room from now on. You can leave the child with me for the length of the rush and pick her up after her nap. We’ll start tomorrow.”

He was gone before she could ask if he was sure, or thank him, or ask what kind of compensation he was looking for. If nothing else she was certainly reducing his rent. She had no idea why he was helping her, but she was grateful.

Three days later she knocked on his door after the last lunch customers had gone. When he didn’t answer she opened the door herself and found him sleeping in a chair, Ruby curled up on his chest and sleeping just as soundly.

It was the first time she realized that gratitude wasn’t the only thing she felt for him.


	2. Little Lion

“What does a lion say, sweetheart?” Belle knelt as she velcroed on the hood covered in fake fur. The rest of the outfit was a yellow onesie that would work nicely as pajamas once Halloween was over. The tail attached to the back probably wouldn’t bother Ruby.

“Raarr.” It was Ruby’s second favorite animal sound; her first was to howl like a wolf. Belle had looked at wolf costumes, but there didn’t seem to be a good ones for a one and a half year old. Her second dilemma was how to dress herself if Ruby was a wolf. Not that she had to dress up, but she loved Halloween and matching costumes had seemed like such a fun idea.

“Are you ready to go?” It was only three in the afternoon and it felt strange going trick-or-treating when it was so bright out, but the downtown had organized a special event for the kids.

“Go go go,” Ruby agreed, running for the door. Belle barely had time to grab her tophat before Ruby was at the top of the stairs. Fortunately, it took her time to scoot down them all one at a time.

Belle had a wagon out front, not sure how much Ruby wanted to walk. Sometimes she insisted on doing things herself and sometimes she wanted to be carried. A wagon seemed easier than taking her in and out of the stroller every time.

“Going somewhere?” Mr. Gold was getting out of his car when they started down the sidewalk. 

“Raarr,” Ruby answered.

“Indeed.” He smiled at the girl, a look that he probably would have hidden if anyone else was around. “Isn’t it a little early for costume parties?”

“Trick or treating for the little ones on Main Street. They’re doing cider and donuts at the fire station at the end.” She paused for a moment. “You could come.”

“I don’t have a costume, let alone something so charming.” Belle was certain that not all the parents would be dressing up, but she wouldn’t push him.

“She does look adorable, doesn’t she?” Then again Ruby always looked adorable, even when she was teething. Or just being a brat.

“And you, Ms. French?” Belle looked up, confused for a moment about what he was asking. He couldn’t be calling her costume charming.

“A lion tamer.” The boots came up to her knees. The jacket was well fitted. The corset might be a little tight but she hoped no one saw much of it under the jacket.

“Very interesting choice, Ms. French.” 

“You could call me Belle, you know.” It wasn’t the first time she’d made the suggestion, though she was usually less blunt. “I hope you might consider us friends, and Belle would be more friendly.”

“As you wish Ms… Belle.” He frowned a little.

“It might grow on you,” she suggested. “May I…”

“I believe your charge is getting restless.” Ruby was indeed climbing out of the wagon and getting ready to run. “I’ll see you later, Belle.”

Two hours later they returned, Ruby asleep with her arm wrapped around a full bag of candy she wasn’t actually going to be allowed to eat. Belle tucked her in and headed for the last door in the hall.

“Donut?” she offered when Gold opened the door. He had a weakness for sweets he wouldn’t admit to most people.

“Thank you.” He took a bite and nodded. It was a good donut. “Your hat is missing.”

“Ruby wanted to wear it.” Or at least she had until she’d decided she was done and had tried to throw it out of the wagon. She turned to leave. “Enjoy the rest of the donut.”

“Belle.” Her heart skipped a step from the sound of him saying her name. “It’s Trevelyan. If you wanted to call me by my name.”

“Thank you, Trevelyan.” His name; it felt like a gift. She had called them friends and he had agreed.


	3. A Room for Ruby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle can’t keep sharing a room at the B&B with Ruby; they need a real home.

Belle frowned at the flyers she’d picked up from the realtor’s office. There weren’t very many options in the pile she’d made of ‘maybes’ while the trash can was full of ‘noes.’ Two of the houses were too far from Main Street and the two businesses she needed to run. Half of the houses were outside of the budget she’d carefully worked up. Three didn’t have any yards and Ruby needed a place she could run and play. Maybe in a year or two they’d get a dog; Ruby would love that. She begged to pet every puppy they saw on their walks.

“M’belle.” Belle didn’t realize how long she’d been focusing on the fliers until Ruby tugged on her skirt, demanding to be picked up. She grimaced when she looked at her watch, and then over at Trevelyan leaning on his cane. She was supposed to pick up Ruby almost twenty minutes ago.

“I’m so sorry.” She’d only meant to flip through the ads for a minute, curious about what was available in town. 

“Cookie?” Ruby asked pointing to the partially eaten cookie Belle had snagged towards the end of the lunch rush when she’d felt drained. 

“Just a little bit.” Belle broke off a piece and handed it to her, glad that it at least had oatmeal in it. A little nutrition was better than none at all. “Can I get you anything, Trevelyan? Some tea and a cookie?”

“Thank you, no,” he said curtly. She’d heard him speak like that to others, but never to her. He was sometimes gruff but never cold to her.

“I am sorry. I got distracted, but that’s not an excuse.” She pulled her ‘maybe’ flyers into a pile, folding them in half. “Did Ruby sleep alright?”

“She was fine.” He pursed his lips together and tapped his cane on the ground. She half expected him to leave without another word. It surprised her when he gestured at her papers. “I didn’t realize you were moving.”

“Ruby turns two in a couple of weeks, and I don’t think we can keep sharing a room. She needs more space for her toys and I’d like a yard for her to play in once the weather gets warmer. It’s hard to find something close enough to the diner that doesn’t break the budget, though.” It would be nice to have a three-bedroom place so she could have an office; she’d been using her bed as a desk most of the time, which made organization difficult.

“You’re staying in Storybrooke?” He seemed surprised. Shocked, even.

“What? Of course we are. Storybrooke is home.” Even if she didn’t have the diner and the B&B to run it was still the only place Ruby had lived and the place where Granny’s spirit still lingered. Ruby needed stories of her Granny, and Belle needed to feel the presence of the only mother she’d had since she was ten as she tried her best to be a parent. And then, of course, there was a certain Trevelyan Gold whose almost daily presence in her life was a factor as well.

“You were living in Chicago until last year.” He had both hands on his cane, as if needing to support himself more than usual, but his back was ramrod stiff.

“And I loved it as a single woman working way too many hours at a museum, using my free time to explore, but it would never work now that I have Ruby.” She barely thought about Chicago these days, though she had often the first months she’d moved back. It had been her home for college and three years after. Maybe it still would be, if Granny was alive. Or maybe it wouldn’t. “Besides, I realized when I came back how much I missed this place.”

“Did you live here long?” He had never asked her much about her past. She had volunteered the occasional story and he’d always listened but never pushed. He shared very little of his own past; hell, it had taken a year to learn his first name.

“We moved here when I was ten; I think my dad was running away from Australia and memories of my mom. He never did get over losing her, and died a few months after we arrived here.” His death was officially listed as pneumonia, but she knew it was a broken heart and a lack of interest in living. He hadn’t taken care of himself and had given up so easily when he’d gotten sick. “Granny took me in just after my eleventh birthday. It was supposed to be a temporary placement but I didn’t leave until I was seventeen and going away to college.”

“I assumed that you were a relative. She looks like you.” The cookie gone, Ruby used a red pen to draw on the papers in front of her. Belle touched one of her wispy curls.

“People always assumed we were sisters, Anita and I. Granny’s daughter. She was rarely interested unless it got her something like attention from a boy or a free ice cream cone. She was only around the first year before she left; we didn’t see her much after that. It was mostly just me and Granny.” She’d been in awe of Anita until she was in high school and saw how her sudden appearances and fast departures hurt Granny. She’d been in Chicago for almost six years when Granny had called Belle to stay she’d shown up with a baby. Two weeks later Anita was gone again, leaving her daughter behind. “Biology doesn’t make a parent, though, and Granny made sure that the legal side of things was clear. I’m her guardian.”

“I believe I know a place for rent that might suit you. Are you able to leave the diner now?” The abrupt change in conversation confused her for a moment, especially when she was half caught up in memories. 

“We are. We’ve already taken up more of your time than usual, though.” She’d never gotten him to agree to compensation for babysitting Ruby, but she’d cut his rent in half and tried to feed him breakfast at least a couple of times a week. It wasn’t fair to take more of his time.

“I don’t have any specific plans today. You can drive, I’ll give you directions.” Though he sometimes took Ruby for a walk he didn’t drive her and didn’t have a car seat. It wasn’t the first time they’d driven someplace in her car, though it didn’t happen often. This time he guided her to an address a little over half a mile from the diner; in good weather she could walk. 

“I can’t possibly afford this place,” she said when he directed her to park in front of a pink historic home. 

“It’s been empty for some time, I’m sure they’d be willing to work a deal.” He paused at a flowerbed to remove a fake rock holding a key, and let them in. Ruby demanded to be let down and ran through the empty room towards the back of the house; when Belle caught up with her she found herself in a kitchen almost as big as the diner’s but three times as charming. The large window over the sink looked out on a garden, the yard was fenced in and in a few months would be filled with flowers.

“This place is amazing.” She was in love before she’d seen half the house; there was a library with the shelves mostly filled that would be far better than any office she could have imagined. She picked Ruby up to head up the stairs, and found four bedrooms; the largest had a fireplace and a view of the backyard. Ruby ran into the bedroom across the hall and found a handful of toys. She was kicking a ball across the room when Gold came slowly up the stairs. “Someone has taken care of this home; are you sure they’re looking to rent it out?”

“To the right person. It’s a home that needs someone who would appreciate it.” He ran his hand over the doorframe; when Belle looked closer she could see faint marks there. A step closer and she could make out ages written with care next to the marks; a child’s growth chart.

“This is your home.” The realization hit her all at once; he’d been established at the B&B well before she’d arrived, so it hadn’t occurred to her that he might have a house in town. And not just a house, but a home that had been lived in. And a child, it seemed.

“It was.” The ball Ruby had been playing with rolled across the floor and hit him in the leg. Ruby squealed in delight when he kicked it back at her. “It needs a family.”

“Where…” Belle stopped herself; she didn’t want to push. He’d already offered more about himself in a few words than she’d learned in a year. 

“My son is in New York, going to school. My ex-wife is sailing somewhere exotic and hopefully filled with warring tribes armed with pointy spears.” He shrugged away his comment as if it was a joke, but she could see the real pain there. Belle did not like this faceless ex-wife that had hurt her friend.

“What’s his name?” When she glanced at the bookshelves there was an eclectic mix of comic books, pulp fiction novels, studies of Renaissance painters, and art theory books. The decorations around the room were just as varied; model planes and movie posters and sketches taped to the walls. It was clearly a room where a child had grown into adulthood.

“Bae. He’ll be twenty in a few months.” He smiled wistfully. “He’s leaving for Italy soon for a semester abroad.”

“You have a lot of memories here.” She let herself finger one of the marks in the doorframe; Bae was taller than his dad if the lines were any indication. He’d passed her up when he was barely a teenager.

“I considered setting the whole place on fire a few years ago. Moving out seemed the more prudent option.” He looked over his shoulder at the doorway to the master bedroom, scowling. “My boy is the best thing that’s ever happened to me and I don’t need a place to remember him. The rest of it I would gladly forget. Besides, Ruby needs her own room. You both need a home and I happen to have one standing empty.”

“You have to let me pay a fair price.” She’d be able to rent out an extra room if she and Ruby moved out of the B&B. They might be able to swing it. Ruby could have one of the other bedrooms, though. She’d leave this one alone. Belle felt like dancing, she was so excited at the idea that it might actually work out. “You’re my fairy godmother, Trev. What would Ruby and I do without you?”`

“Nonsense.” He waved his hand dismissively. “It’s a simple business transaction that is mutually beneficial.”

“Ruby, sweetheart, we have a fairy godmother.” She picked her charge up, complete with the old stuffed dog she’d apparently found in the room, and swung her in a circle. “What do you think about that?”

“Fairy!” Ruby laughed in delight. When Belle stopped spinning she demanded “again!”

She swung Ruby around three more times before sitting her down and watching her stagger around the room, singing about fairies to her new stuffed friend. When she turned she found Gold watching the little girl with a whistful smile. It made her brave enough to approach him and offer a tentative hug. “I don’t know how we can ever thank you.”

To her surprise he hugged her back.


	4. Ice Cream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even on her best days Ashley tended to be focused on herself and her daughter, with little awareness of the people around her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt "what is the most frustrating about raising Ruby?"

“If you were a mother you’d…”

“I’m sorry but I have a couple from Vermont arriving soon and I can’t be late.” It was a lie, though only a white one. Belle did have a couple checking in but they weren’t due for at least an hour and it would only take her a couple of minutes to get back to the B&B. The weather was good and she and Ruby had walked to the library for the Books and Bubbles baby group. Or rather she had walked and Ruby had ridden in her wagon. It was enough of an excuse, though, to get her away from Ashley Herman.

Even on her best days Ashley tended to be focused on herself and her daughter, with little awareness of the people around her. On her worst days her thoughtlessness was a step away from cruel.

Belle ground her teeth together, her jaw clenched from the force of not saying anything on her way out of the library. She was glad that Ruby’s stroller wasn’t caught in the tangle of strollers. It only took a moment to settle Ruby and start walking. As she turned the corner she could see Aurora with a baby on her hip, looking at her. She only waved; she was sure there would be a text message soon and maybe a call checking on her later.

“Just because I haven’t given birth.” Belle’s head was down, watching each other her own steps. 

“Pardon?” Belle looked up and realized they were in front of the stationary store, and it was just her luck that Trevelyan Gold was standing outside the door with a paper bag in one hand. Belle felt her cheeks flame pink.

“I was just-” Belle shut her mouth; there was nothing she could think of in the moment to make her muttering less odd. “We were headed home.”

“You look troubled.” His eyebrows drew together in a look of concern. 

“Ruby’s teething again.” Another white lie; Ruby was teething but it had nothing to do with how she felt.

“I was headed for the ice cream parlor. Perhaps a few bites of something cold might make the wee one feel better?” 

“Eye cree!” Ruby exclaimed with delight just as Belle was about to refuse.

“She hasn’t had her lunch yet.”

“Parents are always spoiling the best fun, aren’t they Miss Lucas?” Gold fell in step with her as they walked father down the sidewalk. He winked at Belle and for a few moments she forgot completely that Ashley even existed. “Perhaps after you both eat?”

Belle looked down at the child who was nodding as if she understood the conversation. Ice cream probably would soothe her sore gums, even if the sugar wasn’t good for her. And it would make her happy. Ruby’s happiness meant the world to her, which was more than she could say for Ruby’s actual mother.

“Perhaps you could join us for lunch and then we could all go out for ice cream?” she suggested. After all, her own happiness was important too, and spending the next hour with Trev would make her happy.


	5. Puppy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it only took him a moment to catch up but Archie had already come to a stop. Ruby had her arms wrapped around a very patient dalmatian.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt "Gold, was there a time where Ruby really made you think about your son?"

“Puppy. My puppy.” He had just taken off Ruby’s shoes to clean out the sand she’d accumulated from the playground when Archie Hopper walked past, a leash in one hand and Pongo walking ahead of him. Ruby didn’t hesitate to run after them, certain of her safety and her welcome. it only took him a moment to catch up but Archie had already come to a stop. Ruby had her arms wrapped around a very patient dalmatian.

“You’re not supposed to run off, Miss Lucas.” Gold held two small shoes in his hand but the backpack he’d brought was still back on the bench.

“Puppy,” she said excitedly, and in eighteen-month-old logic it explained everything.

“Sit, Pongo.” Archie reached into his pocket and, once the dog complied, held out a nilla wafer. Pongo, who might have normally gobbled the treat, ate it slowly as to not dislodge the arms around his neck. “Good boy.”

“Cookies?” he asked, arching one eyebrow.

“His favorite treat. Don’t ask, I don’t know how it happened.” Archie shrugged. “May I offer one to Ruby?”

“I think not. She already has a treat.” Ruby ran after every dog they saw, though Pongo was one of the few that allowed himself to be caught. Once when he and Archie had spent more than a few minutes speaking they’d turned to find both dog and toddler napping together.

Bae had loved dogs. They’d even had one, for a few months when his boy had been six. It had been a Christmas present after Bae had begged for nothing else. It had been unfortunate that Milah had developed an allergy to the animal, or so she’d claimed. They’d had to find Donatello a new home. Bae had been heartbroken, and had burst into tears every time they saw a dog for the next year.

“My puppy,” Ruby kissed the patient creature on one of his ears.

“Mr. Hopper’s puppy,” Gold clarified, for at least the fifth time this week. It was a losing battle. Ruby just looked up at him and laughed.


	6. Long Distance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m in love, dad.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt "Gold: when was the last time you talked to your son?"

“I’m in love, dad.” His voice was tinny and soft, thanks to the overseas connection, but even with that Bae’s excitement shone through.

“With an art piece, a place, or a person?” With his son it was hard to tell; he was the complete opposite of his father in so many ways, including his frequency in declaring his love and hate for things. The unrepressed emotion was his mother’s, though Bae’s was not volatile or dangerous.

“Her name is Emma and she’s the most amazing person I’ve ever met.”

“She’s Italian?” Gold closed his eyes and took a deep breath, fighting the tension in his chest that came from the idea of his son falling in love with an Italian woman, getting a green card, and settling down half a world away. After all he’d once followed a woman from Scotland to America.

“She’s from Boston but she’s going to Florida State in Tallahassee. She’s here on an exchange program too. She’s beautiful, dad. And she’s smart. And she knows how to hotwire a car.”

“I don’t think I want to know why you know that.” He wasn’t calling from jail, at least. Gold couldn’t be upset, though. Boston was a lot easier to think about than Europe. 

“I’ll tell you the story when I see you in June.”

“Next month. I’ll come see you in the city, we can take in a play and visit some museums.” He smiled; it had been Christmas when he’d seen his boy last. It had been a lot longer since his boy had been home, which worked well enough for both of them. Bae got to show off his city and Gold didn’t have to admit that he’d moved out of their home and was living in a room at the B&B. Neither of them had to confront old memories better left alone.

“I’ll see you soon, dad. I miss you.”

“I miss you too, Bae.” He wasn’t sure his son heard him through the static on the phone.


	7. Getting Settled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle is getting settled in the new house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the prompt "Belle in baby steps how are you guys doing in the house? When are you going to invite him for dinner?"

She almost closed the door on him. She’d used Ruby’s naptime to paint the bedroom at the top of the stairs that she’d decided was going to be Ruby’s. The one that had been Neal’s remained closed; it had felt too weird to take over that space. She’d contemplated using the fourth bedroom for herself, but she knew from Trev that his marriage hadn’t been a happy one and he’d probably be glad to have a bit of paint and new decor to change the master room. Not that he’d be making a habit of seeing his old room, of course.

“Did I know you were coming?” Belle wiped at the paint that she knew was on her cheek, and tried not to think about what her hair looked like under the handkerchief she’d tied to try and keep it from the paint. 

“No. I thought, perhaps…” He coughed and held up the picnic basket he held in his left hand. “You mentioned doing some painting today. I thought you might find it easier not to have to worry about dinner.”

“I’m supposed to be the one making dinner for you.” She frowned. She’d had plans; once she got things cleaned up a little she was going to make a meal as a thank you. She’d figured by the weekend she would have been ready, but he’d beaten her by two days. “Look at the amazing kitchen I have to work with.”

“Yes, I am familiar,” he quipped dryly, and she grinned. 

“Of course you are. Ruby and I made pancakes yesterday. I haven’t had a chance to cook with her because the stove at the diner gets too hot, but she stirred everything by herself. Mostly.” Belle grinned when she thought of the egg that wound up on the floor and the batter that sloshed over the side of the bowl. “When I asked her about cooking for you she said we should make burgers.”

“I’ll be glad to join you both for a meal. For now I’ll just set this in the kitchen so you and Ruby can eat whenever you’re ready.”

“You have to stay for dinner. You can’t bring us a meal and then leave.” Belle was about to argue more, but a call of “m’Belle” came from upstairs.

“I’ll be right back.” She ran up the stairs to the spare room where she’d temporarily set up Ruby so she wasn’t inhaling paint fumes. The toddler was doing her best to try and climb over the edge of the crib. She was going to have to do some research and see if it was time to convert the crib into a toddler bed. “Hello, sweetheart.”

“Red,” Ruby answered when Belle picked her up, touching the cheek where paint had dried.

“That’s right, Belle has red on her cheek from painting your room.” Maybe it wasn’t the most normal nursery color but Ruby loved it so Belle had decided on one red wall and the rest white. Her next project after painting her own bedroom walls was painting an Ikea dresser red for Ruby’s clothes. 

“Ruby do it.” Ruby was fine being carried down the hall but demanded that she do the stairs on her own. Belle, glad to see that Trev was still waiting in the hall, now without a basket, took the stairs slowly at the little girl’s side.

“Good!” Ruby jumped from the top step and ran to greet her friend. Belle wasn’t quite sure why she said ‘Belle’ but not “Gold,” but honestly she hadn’t tried that hard to correct her. The idea of Trev being called ‘Good’ especially in front of others amused her. He was kind to her and Ruby but didn’t have the best reputation in town, and Belle always wished that others could see what she did. “Hi, my Good. Hi.”

“Do you mind watching her for a minute, Trev? I need to wash my face before the itching makes me scratch it all off.” When he nodded his consent she ran up the stairs again, doing her best to wash away the paint. She took an extra minute to brush her hair, glad she’d seemed to avoid paint in it. At the last minute she changed her shirt as well. When he returned downstairs she found them in the dining room, setting the table.

“You changed the doorknob on the backdoor,” he commented as he folded napkins and set out the silverware.

“It was loose and I couldn’t get the key to work. I have a spare for you, of course, since it’s a new lock.”

“You should let me know about things like that. As your landlord it’s my responsibility to make repairs; you have enough things occupying your time.”

“I know you’re not charging me enough for this place, Trev. The least I can do is take care of little repairs around the place. There hasn’t been much.” She knew it had stood empty for a couple of years, and didn’t mention the birds nest she’d had to call to have removed, but the house was in remarkable condition. “We can fix things, right Rubes?”

“Bob can fix it, yes he can,” Ruby replied from her highchair where Trev had distracted her with some cubes of avocado. She said ‘fix’ again, this time using her hand to smash some of the avocado into the tray.

“I…” Gold sighed, shaking his head. “At least send me the receipts?”

“If it’s bigger than a lightbulb or a doorknob,” she agreed, wondering what else he’d clearly been about to stay. “And we still owe you a first dinner here, not counting this. Ruby and I insist.”

“Insect,” Ruby agreed.


	8. Coming Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bae Gold comes home from Italy, completely unaware that his dad doesn’t live in the pink house anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Rumbelle anniversary!

“Dad’s going to be so surprised.” Bae picked up one normal rock before finding the fake one with the key inside.

“You know it’s not too late for me to head to a hotel and let you guys have some time before introducing me.” Emma hung back a little with their bags, just unloaded from their Lyft ride. They were both in desperate need of a washing machine.

“There’s no hotel in Storybrooke, we’re too small for that. Besides there’s no reason to pay to stay somewhere when we have a house.” It was his home, and the only place he’d lived until he’d gone away to school, but it had been three years since he’d been back. Long enough that it felt a little weird. Some of his memories here were not the happiest, but the fights between his parents were long over as were his mom’s glacial freezes and firey tantrums. She was off on an adventure that made her happier and home now meant his dad. “I want to show you where I grew up.”

“Okay but I draw the line at filling any of your teenage fantasies about climbing through the window while everyone is sleeping.” Emma slung her duffle over one shoulder.

“You didn’t seem to mind that one I had about the backseat of a car.” Neal laughed as he turned the key in the lock, pushing open the front door.

“I still swear they put something in the wine at that dinner. It was really strong.” Emma tossed her duffle on the ground, in a corner that meant it was out of the way. “I really need to pee. Bathroom?”

“Right over there.” He pointed her in the direction of the downstairs bathroom next to the library. The door to the library itself was open and empty. It was one of his dad’s favorite rooms, which confirmed the fact that he probably wasn’t home. If he didn’t pop up soon he’d call, but for now he and Emma could use a shower - together if he had any say about it. His first priority was something to drink; air travel always dehydrated him.

There was a sippy cup in the sink. Also a plate with Sesame Street characters on it. Weird, because his dad wasn’t the babysitting-the-neighbor’s-kids type. 

“Hey, does your dad have a girlfriend? There are bras drying in the bathroom. If they’re his I’m not judging or anything, it just doesn’t fit in with anything you’ve said about him.” Emma found him in the kitchen, standing in front of the fridge. There were applesauce pouches on the top shelf and flavored creamer on the inside door shelf. His dad hated flavored creamer.

“I’m feeling very twilight zone, Emms.” His dad had never said a thing about dating, not ever, and it might not be odd to go on a few dates but having someone move in with him was different. And someone who had a kid was really weird.

“What are you doing in my home?” Bae was startled from his exploration of the fridge when someone spoke from behind him. A woman shaped someone, holding a plastic croquet mallet, or maybe it was an oversized hammer. Either way it wasn’t that threatening. It was her words that twisted his gut.

“Your home?” It had never occurred to him that his home wasn’t his anymore, that his dad might have sold it. But the furnishings were the same, and many of the nick nacks as well. 

“The sheriff’s station is only a mile and a half from here. I could have someone here in two minutes.” The woman spoke with an Australian accent that might have been sweet to hear if she didn’t sound so nervous. Bae wasn’t used to making people feel nervous.

“I’m not a threat, I promise.” He held his hands up just to make himself look as unassuming as possible.

“He’s probably the least threatening guy you’ll meet. Rather run from danger than face it.” Emma still stood behind him.

“Thanks, Emma.” He rolled his eyes. “Unless things have changed this time of day Graham’s probably at Granny’s diner. I’m sure he could be here in a couple of minutes but you don’t need him and his lunch would just get cold. I can explain.”

“Strawberry?” From behind the stranger a little girl suddenly appeared, toddling into the kitchen with a bowl of fruit that had a pattern matching the pieces in the sink. “Ruby share.”

“Not right now, sweetheart.” The brunette abandoned her plastic toy to pick up the girl, holding her on one hip and half turning so she was as far away from them as possible. Bae had to admire the protective instinct even as he stared in confusion at the kid. Her hair was almost the same color as his own. He had no clue how old she was but she had to be younger than three. Did his dad have a kid? Did he have a sister? “I really need you to tell me why you’re here, please.”

“I live here, or at least I thought I did. I mean I’ve been away at school, and this semester I was in…”

“You’re Bae.” Her shoulders sagged as the tension drained away. “I’m sorry, it never occurred to me that Trevelyn wouldn’t tell you. I’m Belle, and this is Ruby. Your dad said you were flying back soon but he was planning to see you in New York in a few weeks.”

“Surprise? I’m Emma, by the way, since Bae seems to have lost his tongue. We decided to come back a little early. I got a summer job that pays really well but it starts in a week.” Emma opened the cabinet closest to the sink and then the one next to it, pulling out a cup for water.

Bae couldn’t stop staring at the little girl Belle still held. “Are you and my dad…” 

“Are we?” Belle looked at him, her expression blank for a moment before she blinked and her cheeks turned pink. “No. Oh, it’s nothing like that. Trev rented this place to me. He’s my landlord and my friend, and he watches Ruby for me sometimes. She’s my ward.”

“I didn’t think anyone used that word anymore.” Bae wasn’t sure if he felt relieved or disappointed. He didn’t like to think that his dad would keep such a huge secret from him, but he also didn’t like that his dad had been alone for such a long time. Knowing he might have someone had been nice. Weird, but nice.

“I guess it comes from reading too much Jane Austen. When my foster mom died she left custody of her granddaughter to me. Maybe it would be easier to say she’s sort of my niece.” Maybe it was knowing she was being talked about, or maybe she didn’t like being still for so long, but Ruby wiggled to be let down. When Belle complied she ran over to Bae and Emma. 

“Lion say?” Ruby asked, looking up at them. Bae looked over to Belle.

“She wants you to play the animal sound game. Ask her what a lion says and she’ll tell you.”

“What does a lion say?” Bae squatted down so he was eye to eye with the little girl.

“Rawr!” Ruby wrinkled up her nose and showed off her tiny teeth when she made her noise. Bae asked her another five or six noises, getting a moo, quack, baa, tweet, and a confused look in return.

“That’s enough, Gold. We still have to figure out where we’re showering and sleeping.” Emma nudged him gently on his shoulder. “Though it’s nice to see you carrying on a conversation with someone at the same maturity level as you.”

“Good? Hello Good.” Bae was about to tease Emma back when Ruby suddenly ran over to Belle, holding her hands up. “Hello?”

“Yes, sweetheart.” She picked Ruby up, setting her down on the counter.

“Does that mean something?” he asked curiously. He’d never spent much time around younger kids.

“She wants to call your dad, actually. Hello is what she calls the phone and the ‘L’ sound used to give her some trouble so he’s ‘Good’ when she talks about him,” Belle explained. “We should call Trev and let him know you’re here, but you’re both welcome to use the shower and your room is still untouched if you wanted to stay. I’m afraid the B&B is full this week, or I’d put you up there instead so you could be closer to your dad.”

“Closer to dad?” He was going to crack a joke about his dad being called good but now he was just confused. “He doesn’t live here?”

“He’s been renting a room at the B&B for almost three years. That’s how I know him, from when Granny died and I took over running things.” Belle froze with her cell phone in her hand. “You didn’t know?”

“He always came to see me.” He hadn’t been home for three years, his dad was always so eager to see the city. It had seemed like an adventure, just the two of them, new memories to make in a new place. And he’d loved being the one that knew more, getting to show off for his dad. Crap, he didn’t know what to think now.

“Hey.” Emma’s arms slipped around him from behind, and she rested her chin on his shoulder, holding him close. Somehow she knew what he needed better than anyone else could have known. He covered one of her hands, linking their fingers together.

“Suddenly walking in on your parent having sex isn’t the weirdest homecoming this week.” They’d shown up at Emma’s parents' house just as unexpectedly, and apparently hadn’t learned their lesson yet.

“They were not having sex, they were taking a nap. In the middle of the day. Naked. And you promised we would never talk about it again, Bae Gold.” She didn’t really sound irritated, though. How he’d managed to go to Italy and find the perfect someone who just happened to live only a couple of hours away he didn’t know, but he was beyond grateful.

Belle looked amused. “There’s bread if you want sandwiches, and I am serious about the showers and the bed if you’re interested. You dad can let you know I’m not a serial killer or anything.”

“Would you mind if we used the washing machine too? The shower doesn’t do much good without clean clothes,” Emma asked. 

“Of course. Bae knows where things are probably better than I do. I need to get this little lion up to bed for her nap but then one of us should call Trev.” 

“No sleep.” Ruby tried to crawl across the counter but Belle grabbed her around the waist and picked her up. 

“After sleep you can help cook, okay? We can invite Gold for dinner.” Belle looked at Bae, though she was speaking to Ruby. He nodded.

“Good eat cheese? Please?” Ruby rubbed her eye with one fist, belying any argument about not needing a nap.

“You can have cheese for dinner, Rubes. We’ll probably serve everyone else something a little more well rounded than cheese cubes and watermelon.”

“I don’t know, sounds good to me,” Bae teased.

II

Gold was about to take a break from work for lunch when the phone rang. For just a moment he was annoyed until he saw Belle’s name flash. “Hey.”

“Hey yourself.” 

“Ruby down for her nap?” The diner was slow enough on Mondays she took the day off. It felt silly to admit that he missed them both when he had seen them the day before, but even after almost five months it was strange not to be living down the hall from them. Even when he had his door shut he was used to hearing the familiar noises of the girl playing and Belle talking.

“She is, after much protest. She was much more interested in our new houseguests than her bed.”

“You have visitors?” She hadn’t mentioned anything about company. So far as he knew she hadn’t had anyone stay overnight, and he couldn’t help but wonder who it was. An old friend from Chicago? An old boyfriend?

“Actually you have visitors. Just off the plane from Italy and currently taking a shower.”

“Bae? He’s home?” Oh crap. Bae had made no mention of coming to Storybrooke. None at all for three years. It had made it easy to avoid telling him that the house had been too big, too full of bad memories without Bae’s presence to balance it out. That the weight of it all had been so suffocating he’d run and rented a room at the B&B. Just a few nights, he’d told himself. A few had turned into a week, a week into a month, and a month into almost three years.

“He wanted to surprise you. Surprised me instead. And himself, when I found him in the kitchen.”

“I’m so sorry.” Of course Bae would have let himself in, he didn’t know better. He hated to think how Belle felt, finding a strange man in her home. He hated almost as much how Bae must have felt, finding someone else living in his home. “It’s my fault. I should have told him.”

“We’ll laugh about this one day, Trev.” She was laughing now, a warm sound that touched him almost as much as her words about the future did. It always made the butterflies fill his stomach when she talked about ‘one day’ or ‘next year.’ Like she saw their lives as entwined in a way he wouldn’t dare assume. “He’s a delight, your Bae. A very friendly boy.”

“I don’t know where he got that from. Sometimes the apple is flung rather far from the tree.” She called him a boy but Bae was only seven years younger than Belle. Certainly closer to her in age than he was.

“No one has been a better friend to me than you, Trevelyn. I see a lot of you in him already, and we’ve only had one conversation.” Gold almost dropped the phone. She couldn’t actually mean that, could she? Belle had many friends. It sometimes seemed half of Storybrooke was her friend from the easy way they all smiled and talked to her when she was at the diner or when they walked through the park with Ruby. “I know you’re working but Bae did come to surprise you. Can you come over soon? I hope you don’t mind but I already promised Ruby that you’d stay for dinner.”

“I’ll be there as soon as I can wrap things up. Half an hour?” There wasn’t anything work related that needed to be done before tomorrow, but he needed a minute to himself to breathe and steel himself to see his boy. He had a lot of explaining to do. 

“We’re having sandwiches. Should I make one for you or have you eaten already? Real food, I mean. Tea doesn’t count as a food group.”

“Tea is one of the most important food groups.” It was the same joke he’d used a hundred times when she’d fussed over him not eating breakfast. It was comforting.

“I’ll make you a sandwich. One more won’t make a difference. Bae looks like he could eat a couple, and Emma’s probably starving too. You know how airplane food is.”

“Emma’s there?” His son had spoken of her, but he didn’t know they were traveling together. A fling in Italy was one thing. Bringing her home to meet him seemed to speak of something else entirely.

“They’re good together. It’s sweet to see them, so clearly in love.”

“Yeah.” He remembered being young, and thinking love was clear and obvious. Now he knew it was never simple and far from easy. There was nothing clear about it, especially when you held it close to your chest and didn’t dare tell anyone else about it. Certainly not the person you were in love with. “I’ll see you all soon.”

II

Trevelyn knocked on the door just a little over twenty minutes later. Belle had told him a hundred times he could just come in - it was his house after all. He always knocked, even if he was coming to make some small repair or to watch Ruby for an hour. While she always wanted him to feel welcome there was also something old fashioned and sweet about him waiting for her to let him in. After all it had taken a year for him to call her by name and share his in return.

“Hey.” She opened the door to find him doing his best to hide his nerves. “They’re in the dining room. Ruby’s still sleeping. I offered to let them sleep here; I hope that’s okay with you.”

“That’s too much of an imposition. I can…” Gold stopped, and remembered that the other rooms in the B&B were full. There wasn’t an alternative he could suggest. “I’m sorry. That’s kind of you, and I appreciate it. Thank you.”

“Ruby will think he’s staying to be a playmate for her. He’s good with kids.” Once she’d gotten over her shock and had been able to relax she’d been amused to see him squatting down to play with Ruby. He did so with more ease than his dad, but other than that the resemblance was strong. They even made some of the same hand gestures.

“I don’t know that I’ve seen him with kids before.” He would have been happy to have siblings for his boy, but Milah had been adamant after her pregnancy that she wasn’t going through all that again. His delight at seeing her stomach swell had been the opposite of her feelings. Her focus after Bae was born had been on getting her body back into shape. Bae had been fed by bottle, and Trev had been in charge of most of his meals, especially the ones in the middle of the night.

“My experience with kids is pretty limited but I have a lot of practice with stubborn old men who keep very big secrets from their exceptionally awesome child.” Bae had apparently abandoned lunch to join them in the hall. “Hey dad. I think you might have forgotten to mention a thing or two.”

“Bae.” Belle took a step back when Bae and Trev hugged, delighted to see how affectionate they were with each other. Even after the hug ended they still touched, Trev’s hand on his son’s shoulder. “You look good, son.”

“Italy was amazing. Emma is even more amazing. I couldn’t wait for you to meet her, dad.”

“I’m going to go check on Ruby.” If the toddler was awake, of course, everyone would know. She had a tendency of sitting on her bed and howling like a wolf to announce that nap time had ended, or just getting up and playing with her toys in a way that wasn’t at all silent. Bae wouldn’t know that, and Trev was probably too distracted to realize she was using it as an excuse to leave father and son alone. Ruby, of course, was still sleeping. Belle took a moment to get sheets out of the linen closet to give them a wash after Bae and Emma were done with their laundry. After a moment she got out a second set; she shouldn’t assume that they would want to share a bed, though instinct told her they would. She lingered a minute longer looking at the photos hanging in the hall of a younger Bae; now that she’d seen him as an adult she could recognize him. If she hadn’t met him so unexpectedly and been focused on if she and Ruby needed to run she might have seen the family resemblance. After a few minutes she headed back to the stairs.

“She needed a home, and this place is better for them. After you left this house was suddenly too much.” 

“I’m sorry, dad. I should have…

“You should have done exactly what you did, Bae. I would never want to hold you back. You need to explore and learn and find new things, find your things. Every day I miss you but I am so proud to watch you become the man you have become. I want your happiness more than anything, and staying here wouldn’t let you become who you’re supposed to be.” Belle held the slightly musty sheets to her chest and felt guilty that she was watching such a personal scene. She couldn’t look away, though. Trev was so good at keeping things inside that she often had to guess what his small gestures and expressions meant. She appreciated his biting wit and knew from his actions that he cared about her, but rarely did he discuss his feelings so clearly. Bae was lucky to have a father that loved him and wasn’t afraid to say it. She struggled to think when her father had made his love and pride known to her. 

“I love you, dad. Your happiness matters just as much.” Bae frowned a little.

“I’m not unhappy,” Trev teased, looking up as Belle came down the stairs, no longer comfortable without them knowing she was there. She smiled at him, pleased to see him happy. Perhaps she was too focused on that smile or perhaps it literally made her knees weak because she was a couple of steps from the bottom when she missed the edge of the step. She barely registered the fact that she was falling and that she was going to hit the floor when suddenly she was wrapped in warmth instead. She blinked and looked up to find Trev staring at her, eyes wide and breathing heavy. He held her in his arms, his cane fallen to the ground.

“Thank you.” They’d hugged a couple of times, but she’d never been close enough or lingered long enough to feel his heart beating against her skin. She was tempted to lean her head against him, wanting the feeling to last a little longer, but that wasn’t fair to him or good for his leg.

“It’s no matter,” he said as he carefully helped her to stand. “Are you certain you’re alright?”

“I should be the one asking you. I only fell, you’re the one that had to catch me.” She bit her lip before asking if his leg was alright, knowing how reluctant he was to mention his cane or injury.

“That was so quick reflexes, dad. Color me impressed.” Bae held his dad’s cane in his hand and offered it. “I’m glad you’re alright, Belle.”

“I told Ruby you were our guardian angel when you offered us this place, Trev. I guess I was more right than I knew.” After straightening her dress a little she bent down to pick up the dropped sheets. “I’m going to put these in the laundry room and go make some iced tea.”

The washing machine was running, a comfortably bland and repetitive sound. Belle leaned against it and took a handful of deep breaths, willing her heart to slow down and mimic the rhythm of the washer. She wasn’t certain if her racing heart was because of the near disaster or if it was entirely down to being held in Trevelyn Gold’s arms. It didn’t matter; even if Bae and Emma weren’t around she wasn’t brave enough to find out. She had Trev’s friendship and it meant the world to her. She might want more, but not at the cost of what she had. There was no reason to think that he’d be interested in a relationship with anyone, let alone her. 

“Hey, sorry. Just seeing if it was time to switch things to the drier.” Emma leaned in the doorway. “You okay?”

“Yeah, just bringing down sheets to wash so we can make beds up later. Or bed?” It was easier to think about someone else’s relationship rather than her own non-existent one. “We have two extra rooms.”

“We just need the one, unless that’s weird for you. I know some people wouldn’t feel comfortable with that. We stayed at this one place in a little village where they wouldn’t rent us a single room because we weren’t wearing wedding rings.” Emma rolled her eyes. Belle laughed.

“It doesn’t bother me in the least, and I’m pretty sure Trev would be a lot more bothered by you two coming back married than you two sharing a room.”

“You know him pretty well, don’t you?” Emma asked. Belle looked down at her hands and wondered how to answer the question.

“I don’t know if anyone knows him very well, other than Bae. He’s a man with a lot of layers, and everything I learn about him is like a gift. He’s a good friend, and I don’t know where I’d be without him. I went from working in Chicago one day to coming home for a funeral to find that I suddenly had a baby and two businesses to run. I didn’t even know how to hold a Ruby without her crying until Trev taught me.” It was just over a year and a half now, and already it was impossible to imagine her life without him in it. “Speaking of Ruby I think I hear her.”

“Is that what that noise is?” Emma laughed as they heard a second little howl.

“She likes to pretend she’s a wolf cub. It’s her favorite animal.” Belle put down the sheets and headed back to the stairs, only to find Trev and Ruby walking down them hand in hand. Trev patiently waited on each step for Ruby to find her footing; she was working on walking down rather than scooching down on her butt. Belle looked up at how completely focused Trev was on the little girl and felt her heart, so recently calmed, starting to race again. She couldn’t deny it anymore, she was in love with him. Maybe, just maybe, she could work up the courage to tell him.

But not today.

“Anyone ready for dessert? We have cake,” she offered once Ruby was done with the stairs and running to find her new friend.

“I believe I should have my sandwich first, or I might get scolded. Apparently neither tea nor cake count as a properly balanced meal.” Trev followed her to the kitchen, teasing gently. Belle smiled back, and tried her best to tuck her bigger emotions away. 

“The cake will still be here when you’re ready for it,” she promised, handing him the sandwich. “Do you think Bae wants a slice of cake?”

“His sweet tooth is even worse than mine. I have known him to polish off half a cake all on his own, and saying no to dessert is generally a sign of illness.” He waited while she cut the cake, and helped her carry it into the dining room where Bae and Emma broke apart quickly from a kiss. Ruby was already waiting in her booster seat, and they all settled down to share their meal together.


	9. Boobs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bae: What do you think of Belle and Ruby? What do you think about their relationship with your Dad?

“You know that’s not anatomically correct, right?” Emma poked at an anime picture taped to the wall above his desk. She’d been amusing herself for the last fifteen minutes by exploring his room. 

“I was playing with different art styles. Plus, you know, probably about thirteen when I put that up there.” Bae looked at the picture and grinned. “At some point I figured out that breasts weren’t actually supposed to be bigger than a woman’s head. Thank god for anatomy class.”

“Pretty sure you could have figured that out from just observing reality. Take Belle, for example.”

“I’d rather not. First of all you’re the only woman whose boobs I’m interested in.”

“Since my back is to you I’ll let you know I’m rolling my eyes.” Emma was picking up photographs from on top of the bookcase.

“The occasional glance is one thing, but yours are the only ones I want to touch.” And boy, did he like touching them. Touching her. “And I’d rather not think about Belle’s at all.”

“She’s beautiful,” Emma said with a shrug.

“My dad thinks so too, and if we have to talk about the fact that my dad was totally looking at her like he’d like to follow her up to bed then we’re talking about your parents and tacos. You know how weird it is to think about parents and sex.” He was happy for his dad. At dinner he’d laugh more freely then he saw him laugh with anyone other than himself. And he’d actually gotten down on the ground and played tea party when Ruby had insisted, clinking plastic cups together and taking pretend bites of food. His dad had always been good with kids; his childhood memories of playing with dad were way stronger than spending time with his mom. And his dad totally deserved someone that he loved and how loved him back. But that didn’t make it any less weird. 

“I don’t think they’re actually having sex. Yet. They’re trying too hard not to look at each other. And since your dad looks like he’s about as different from you as one can get I bet you he’s the hold out. She looks like she’d totally jump…”

“I beg you to please not to finish that sentence, Em. That’s my dad you’re talking about.” Obviously his dad had sex. At least he had some twenty plus years ago. But he was pretty sure that his parents hadn’t done anything for years before the divorce and he’d never known his dad to date. Hell, his dad didn’t even really have friends.

He was pretty friendly with Belle. And Ruby, in a way that was almost paternal.

“You’re the one that had to bring up my parents.” Emma, apparently done with her room exploration for the moment, flopped onto the bed. “I like her. I mean she was willing to hit you with a plastic bat so that means she must be pretty smart.”

“I like her too. And I like how happy my dad is when they’re around.”

“Maybe we could help push things along?” Emma suggested. “Lock them in a closet or something?”

“I don’t want to know what they would do in a closet.”

“Probably something similar to what we did at that party in Milan when we…”

“I don’t think dad’s bad foot can take that much weight. And now I’m actively thinking about it and you should know this means I’m never having sex again thank you very much.” He rubbed his forehead as if he could erase the mental image. 

“Never?” Emma rolled over until she was on top of him, sitting up to straddle his hips. “Bet you I can prove you wrong there.”

Bae grinned. “Wouldn’t complain if I was wrong.”


	10. Thunderstorms and Pancakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gold spends the night in the house that he's now renting to Belle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set about a week after Bae comes home to visit.

“I should be going.” He’d been to dinner every night since Bae had come home, at Belle’s insistence. Since it was Saturday he’d been at the house since lunch, sharing a picnic in the back yard with his son and Emma, Belle and Ruby. Trevelyn worried that it was too much, but when he’d tried to beg off dinner the night before Belle had reminded him that Emma was only around for another day, and Bae would have to go to New York in a week. 

“It’s still raining pretty hard, are you sure that’s a good idea?” Belle never mentioned his cane or the limp that was evident, and he never offered any information. He could see her glance at his leg, though, before frowning at the window. It had been raining for more than an hour, the summer shower a surprise.

“I’m sure it will let up soon.” At that moment the windows lit up and a roll of thunder made the house shake.

“I don’t think so, dad. Remember what happened when I was ten and old man Hubbard drove in a storm like this? He was lucky to get out of the car before it ended up in the river.”

“Fortunately I don’t pass any rivers on the way home.” After another flash of lightning the lights flickered. The rain, rather than receding, seemed to pound harder against the glass.

“I think you should stay in the guest room tonight, Trev. We’ll all sleep better knowing that you’re not out in this.” Belle collected the dessert dishes. Ruby was already sleeping, the baby monitor on the table where Belle could watch her. Bae and Emma nodded in agreement.

“I don’t want to be an imposition.” Bae mentioned Hubbard, but Trev remembered another night drive fifteen years ago that had ended in weeks of hospitalization, months of therapy and surgeries, and a cane he still hated with a passion. He hated how much his knee ached in the rain too. Staying inside had more than one advantage, but he didn’t want to make Belle do any more work. It would be strange to sleep in his house again as well.

“You couldn’t be more of an imposition than Bae, and she puts up with him.” Emma leaned over, hitting Bae’s shoulder with her own. Their chairs were only inches apart; they liked to touch. Bae rolled his eyes but leaned into the touch as well.

“I insist.” Belle briefly squeezed Trev’s shoulder as she returned to the table. “I think you might still have some things in the back of the closet. If not Bae probably has something you can borrow to sleep in.”

He did end up needing to borrow a pair of sweatpants, though Belle found him a long forgotten t-shirt that had clearly been a present from Bae. It declared him to be the ‘world’s okayest dad.’ Trev shook his head when he saw it, but Belle had been amused. 

“Are you certain you wouldn’t prefer the master bedroom? The bed is bigger.” Belle made the same offer she’d made already. 

“The guess room is fine.” A full sized bed was plenty for him. He tried not to think about any reasons why he might need a larger bed. None of his thoughts involved being alone, so they were best not considered at all. Especially when the only person he’d fantasized about recently was standing in front of him. The fact that the master room had been a space he’d shared with Milah for so long didn’t even occur to him. “Besides Ruby would be confused if she came looking for you.”

“Ruby would be delighted if she found her ‘Good’ when she came looking for me. She’s going to be so excited tomorrow when she realizes you’re here for breakfast.”

Gold nodded, holding the t-shirt to his chest. He couldn’t shake the image of lying in bed with Belle, an arm draped casually over her waist. Not doing anything, just lying with her and sharing space when Ruby came in for breakfast. It was a daydream that left him rattled; he never had moments like that in Bae’s childhood. It wasn’t his brain replicating a memory, but a completely separate dream. “I should go to bed.”

“Sweet dreams, Trev. You know where almost everything is, but if you have any questions you know where to find me.”

Unfortunately he knew all too well where to find her, not that he would breach the doorway that had been his own for so many years. “Thank you.”

“Hey dad, these should work. They have a drawstring, which I thought might help since you’re skinny.” Bae came out of his bedroom with the promised sweatpants. Behind him Emma leaned in the doorway of the bedroom that had been Bae’s since he was three weeks old and Milah had declared she couldn’t sleep with a baby in the master bedroom. While he knew that Bae and Emma were sharing a room it was still a little startling to see it with his own eyes. It didn’t bother him, but it was another reminder that his son was grown up. He was so proud of his boy, but some part of him would always miss the child he had been.

“Your dad has a little restraint around desserts, unlike some people I know,” Emma teased.

“Hey, I inherited my love of cake from him. He had a piece too. But I bet he’s still in the habit of skipping meals. Tea does not count as breakfast.” Behind Gold he heard a snort, and turned to find Belle covering her mouth. She shrugged, but he could tell she was amused to find that she wasn’t the only one to scold him for having tea alone in the morning.

“Yeah, like no one saw you sneak that second piece in the kitchen.” Emma rolled her eyes before vanishing into the bedroom. Gold was pretty certain he heard Bae mutter something about working off the calories. He didn’t want to ask for clarification. Fortunately the guest bedroom didn’t share a room with his son’s bedroom.

“I’ll just take this and-” he gestured at the door to the room that was just past Belle’s own.

“Sleep well, Trev.” Belle’s smile seemed to ensure he’d have either sweet dreams or troubled sleep.

“Goodnight Belle.” He was used to speaking to her over the phone and wishing her a good night, or speaking to her from the end of the hall at the bed and breakfast. Somehow the hallway of his home - her home now - seemed more intimate.

“Goodnight!” A duel shout came from behind the closed door of Bae’s room as he headed for the guest room door.

II

He couldn’t sleep. Perhaps it was being back in the house that held so many memories, or perhaps it was knowing that only a wall separated him from the bedroom where Belle was sleeping. Either way he spent an hour staring wide eyed at the ceiling before giving up and getting out of bed. If he remembered correctly there was still a bottle of whiskey in the library. Unless Belle had a taste for it, which he doubted, it should still be there. A wee dram might help him fall asleep. Carefully he walked down the hall, avoiding the squeaky floorboard near Bae’s room. Since he didn’t carry his cane he had to use the handrail on the stairs. To his surprise there was a light on in the library.

“Belle?” She sat at the desk, the only light coming from the lamp in the upper corner of the desk and the glow of the laptop monitor. The clock on the wall told him it was a little after midnight.

“End of the month reports have to be finished tomorrow. I’m almost done.” She leaned back in the chair, taking off a pair of glasses he rarely saw her wearing. “Employees need paychecks and the quarterly taxes are due.”

“You don’t have a payroll person for that?”

“Granny always did it herself. I remember sitting next to her at the kitchen table, working on homework while she was working on it. There were always cookies. I guess it makes me feel closer to her.” Belle stretched, leaning back farther in the chail. The bottom of her pajama top rose just enough to see a narrow strip of skin. “I should probably look into a service, but I only think of it at midnight when I’m struggling to get it done.”

“I can ask my bookkeeper if she can take on someone new. I believe she does payroll.” Belle had enough to do, managing two businesses and raising a two year old. She didn’t need to stay up late with paperwork. He would make sure Ariel could take her, even if he had to pay to make it happen.

“You don’t need to-” Belle stopped mid sentence, shaking her head. “No, that’s silly. I know I need help and as usual you have just the answer I need. Thank you, Trev. I would appreciate the recommendation.”

“I’ll make a call tomorrow.”

“Thank you. Now what can I do for you? You didn’t come down here to talk about payroll and taxes.”

“I was planning on having a drink, actually.” The scotch was exactly there he left it. A few years additional aging would only improve the flavor.

“May I join you?”

“Really?” He’d seen her drink wine, and could imagine her with a daiquiri in hand.

“Sure. I’m almost done with my work and it would help me unwind. I even have my own glass.” Grinning she picked up a plastic tumbler with a cartoon on it, one of Ruby’s. “If you don’t mind sharing, of course.”

“I don’t mind.” She sat at his desk in his library, though he’d cleared enough bookshelves off to allow her some space for her collection. The bed she slept in was his. There was a great deal they shared already, a drink hardly seemed like anything in comparison. Yet as he placed the glass he’d brought from the kitchen next to the plastic cup and added the liquor to each it felt strangely intimate. Perhaps it was the late hour.

“Should we toast something?” Belle took hold of her glass, but a moment later almost dropped it when a lightning strike lit up the room.

“Belle?”

“I don’t like lightning very much.” She took a sip of her drink, making a face that told him she didn’t appreciate the taste. It didn’t stop her from taking a second sip.

“My father told a story when I was a lad about a selkie looking for his lost love in a thunderstorm. She was human and they had fallen in love when he had rescued her from a shipwreck, but her people had come for her and taken her back to their land. Whenever lightning fills the sky you know he’s still looking for her.” His father hadn’t been worth much, but he had been able to spin a story. As a child it had entertained him. As he’d gotten older ‘story’ had just been another word for a lie.

“My mother told me that angels were bowling. It didn’t scare me when I was a kid.” He couldn’t see into the plastic cup but guessed it was mostly gone after she took another sip. When he held up the bottle she nodded and he refilled her glass. She started into the depths of the glass as if it was something more than plastic with unicorns on it. Knowing what it was like to get lost in thoughts he didn’t say anything. It was a few minutes before she spoke. “There was a thunderstorm the night my mother died. She would always come into my room when there was a storm to check on me and ask me who was winning the bowling game. I waited but…”

“I’m sorry, Belle.” Her voice wavered and she didn’t seem able to continue. He remembered her mentioning moving to America after her mother’s death. She’d been too young to lose a mother, as well as a father not long after. 

“Ruby doesn’t mind a storm, and I don’t want her to think they’re scary. I suppose I should have a story for her.” Belle looked over her shoulder, as if waiting to catch the next clap of thunder.

“You could tell her about the angels bowling.” He could almost picture her as a girl of Ruby’s age, asking for a story. She probably wasn’t quite as demanding as Ruby could be, but just as hard to deny.

“I think I like your story better. Maybe you could tell me the whole thing sometime?” Perhaps it was the fact that the thunder hadn’t rumbled again, or the fact that she was almost done with her second pour of whiskey, but she seemed more relaxed. 

“If you like.” For a moment he could almost hear an echo of his father’s voice. And his own, as he tucked in a little boy that was now a grown man.

“Not tonight, though. I think I need to go to sleep.” She drained the last of her glass and closed up her laptop. “You know how early Ruby likes to get up.”

“I’ll walk with you.” She wasn’t wearing those ridiculous high heels she wore often when she was out, but he still worried about her balance, especially since she’d fallen only a few days earlier. Not that his balance was much better, and he hadn’t even finished his drink.

“I’m glad you stayed tonight, Trev. I would have worried about you driving in this.” They made it up the stairs, though there were one or two false starts. His leg was unsteady without his cane and Belle’s focus was less than perfect.

“I wouldn’t want to make you worry.” He understood her worry even better now then he had a few hours ago. “Sleep well, Belle. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Bae said something about pancakes.” Belle smiled sleepy at him as she stood in the doorway of the bedroom. The walls that had been white when it was his room were a pale blue now. It was a color that suited her.

“Unless he learned something in Italy I assume that means he’s volunteered me for breakfast duty.” Saturday morning breakfasts had been a tradition of theirs for most of Bae’s childhood. Milah had liked to sleep in, so it had usually been the two of them. It would be nice to cook for his boy again. And to cook breakfast for Belle for the first time.

“We’ll make him wash the dishes,” Belle said with a grin and a wink before she closed the door behind her. Gold walked on to his room, closing the door behind him. He was no less awake then he had been, but his mind felt more focused. He took out the notepad he always carried with him and a pen, and started to write the story of a selkie in love. It wasn’t the type of story he usually wrote, but it was a familiar tale and flowed quickly. Perhaps he’d talk to Bae about doing up a few illustrations. It would make a nice gift for Belle. And Ruby, of course.

II

The sound of howling woke him. Looking at his clock he realized that it was a little before eight. It took him a moment later to realize that the noise was a little girl declaring that she was awake. Since he didn’t hear any other noises he hurried from his bed to the room across the hall. Perhaps he would be able to let Belle sleep a little longer, she could do with a lie in.

“I’m looking for a little girl to help me make some pancakes, but all I hear is a wolf.” He stood in the doorway to Ruby’s room, where she stood up on her bed. It was a tiny thing no full sized person could possibly lay down on. Gold knew that the mattress had been part of Ruby’s bed before the move.

“Good, my good, my good.” Ruby’s cries of delight were slightly quieter than her howls, but not by much. Gold looked across the hall at Belle’s still closed door.

“You’ll have to be quiet if you want to make pancakes,” he cautioned.

“Ruby be quiet. Shhh shhh shh.” She held one chubby finger up to her mouth to demonstrate. Gold couldn’t help but smile. 

“That’s what I like to see in a sous chef.” He held out a hand and she was quick to respond, jumping off her bed with a level of disregard of safety that would worry him if her bed was more than a foot from the floor. In moments her small hand was in his. Her other hand touched his sweatpants.

“Good go night night?” she asked.

“Yes, I slept here.” He was glad she didn’t ask any more questions as they walked down the hall past Belle and Bae’s rooms. When they got downstairs she was quickly distracted by cracking eggs and mixing with spoons, and didn’t ask any questions about why he’d spent the night.

“So Bae wasn’t lying about the pancakes.” Emma was the first person to come downstairs, heading straight for the coffee pot. It seemed that she liked her morning caffeine as much as Belle and his son. Ruby hadn’t been patient enough for him to make his usual tea.

“It’s been a while since I’ve done this. Hopefully they’re edible,” he said with a shrug. He hadn’t spent more than a few minutes alone with Emma. She seemed nice enough, and certainly being around her made Bae happy, but it always took him time to get used to people. To call his social circle limited would be generous.

“I remember the first time my dad tried making pancakes for me. They were black on one side and raw in the middle but I ate them.” Emma took a mug from the cabinet and poured herself a cup of coffee, adding some of the flavored creamer Belle always had in the fridge.

“Was your mom usually the one that made the pancakes?” He asked, only half paying attention. Ruby was sitting on the edge of the counter and half of his focus was on making sure she didn’t decide at any moment to try jumping.

“Nah, she’s a teacher so mornings were not a leisure time for her. She’d already left for work that day, I think. I’d only been with them for a couple of weeks and David was kind of going overboard on trying to fit in as many ‘normal’ kid things as he could. He still can’t make a decent pancake but he was a great softball coach.” Emma settled at one of the stools on the side of the counter, both hands wrapped around her mug.

“You’re adopted.” For a moment all of his focus was on her, and he could see a look in her eyes that he recognized from his own years in foster care. He hadn’t seen it before. 

“My mom likes to say that we were always a family, it just took us time to find each other. She’s big on fairy tales. Sometimes I think she forgets that I lived anywhere before them.” Emma took a sip of her coffee. “I hope you don’t mind, but Bae mentioned that you were in the system too.”

“Yeah.” He didn’t remember his mother. Malcolm had been interested in him as long as he was young and cute and a good distraction while he worked his cons, but once he’d gotten too older he’d become less useful and asked too many questions. He’d spent most of his time in group homes until Penny and Flo had taken him in just before his sixteenth birthday. They had taken their role as foster parents very seriously; the home he now rented to Belle had been theirs, left to him in their will.

“Belle reminds me of my mom a little. Ruby’s a lucky kid.”

“She is.” He remembered how nervous Belle had been in the beginning. She had worried about Ruby’s happiness and what was best for the baby, but had never said a word about her own plans changing so completely. 

“Ruby lucky,” the little girl agreed, waving around a spoon and flinging pancake batter everywhere. “Ruby want pancake.”

“Soon,” Gold promised, glad of the distraction. “We have to cook them first.”

“Ruby want m’Belle.”

“Belle is sleeping.” He knew how rare it was for Belle to be able to sleep in.

“Bae’s sleeping too, but he doesn’t need to be. How about we go get him up, Rubes? Want to help me?” Emma downed the rest of her coffee and reached for the girl who eagerly jumped at her. Emma settled her on her hip. “Figured this breakfast thing might go smoother without the pancake batter flying everywhere and Bae will sleep ‘til noon if we leave him alone.”

“Thank you.” He would be less worried about the griddle without Ruby being so close, and he might even be able to make himself that cup of tea. For a moment when she turned to walk away Gold’s heart skipped a beat. Someday, whether it was with Emma or someone else, Bae would have a child of his own. A family that, he hoped, would visit him. He hadn’t thought much of grandchildren before. For so long his family had simply been himself and Bae. It seemed to be growing.

“Do I smell pancakes?” He expected Bae and Emma to come into the kitchen, but a few minutes later it was Belle that appeared, wrapped in a robe but wearing the same sea green pajamas underneath that she had worn the night before. “And coffee too? Bless you.”

“Emma made the coffee.” He looked down at his pancakes more intently then necessary, checking to see if they needed to be turned. He’d lived down the hall from her for almost a year and a half and had seen her early in the morning and late at night. Somehow, though, seeing her barefoot in the kitchen with her hair clearly tousled from sleep felt almost too intimate. It was too easy to think about the fact that she had been in a warm bed only minutes ago. His bed, though he hadn’t slept in it for years. “Everyone else should be down soon and we can eat.”

“Have I mentioned yet how glad I am you stayed?” She padded through the kitchen towards the coffee maker, her bare feet not making a sound. After she poured herself a mug she came to stand next to him, close enough to touch if he leaned to the side just a little. He didn’t. 

“I…”

“Anyone looking for a tickle monster? Because I caught one.” Bae came into the kitchen with a laugh, holding an upside down Ruby insisting that she wasn’t a monster. Emma followed immediately behind declaring that Bae had earned whatever he’d gotten and that a tickling from a two year old was way better than a pitcher of ice water. The sudden chaos only settled down when everyone sat at the table and whatever he had been about the say to Belle was long forgotten.


End file.
